A 90-year-old animal-lover who has survived cancer on three separate occasions and saved 10,000 animals over the last four decades is showing no signs of slowing down. Barby Keel, a Sussex resident, opened her Barby Keel Animal Sanctuary in Bexhill in 1979, alongside her ex-partner, starting with just three animals -- two dogs and a bushbaby.
Initially, Ms Keel and her partner intended to build a home there, but the 12-acre property-turned sanctuary is now home to 600 animals, including 160 cats, 100 chickens, 80 rabbits, 16 pigs, eight dogs and six horses.
Most of the animals in Ms Keel's sanctuary are either abandoned or have been abused previously. As per Ms Keel, she never planned to run a rescue centre, but fate had other plans. A local soldier, who was stationed in Northern Ireland, asked her to take care of his dog while he was away.
"His dog named Cat was so lovely. She was so attached to me, she never ended up leaving. A charity called the Bexhill Cats Club asked me take in some cats, and my animals just grew from there," Ms Keel told Sussex World.
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Ms Keel wakes up at 7 am every day to look after her beloved animals and has not taken a day off in forever.
"I'm always told that I don't seem like I'm 90 years old. Hard work and a breakfast of beans every morning keeps me going," said Ms Keel.
"Some days I am shattered - it's hard work. But then I get a little nose boop or a face peer up at me, and I remember why I'm doing this. I don't have plans to stop any day soon. My animals come first and always will."
The Barby Keel Sanctuary recently re-opened to the public and is free to visit every Sunday until October this year, where guests can see the animals, visit the cafe and souvenir shop.
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